Skull and Bones has been a long time coming. First announced way back in the simpler times of 2017, it’s now finally seeing release a whopping seven years later. With numerous delays throughout its lengthy development, it’s safe to say that interest in the title has waned. The initial response was positive, but that has since shifted to ambivalence and borderline antipathy. I’ll admit I approached playing Skull and Bones with little to no excitement, so imagine my surprise when I found myself thoroughly enjoying my time with the game. After many hours of play, Skull and Bones has well and truly got its cutlasses stuck into me. However, my recommendation does come with some serious caveats.
First off, let’s make one thing abundantly clear; Skull and Bones is not Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag 2, nor does it really try to be. Other than the seafaring and naval combat, Ubisoft’s latest bears little resemblance to its distant cousin. For the most part, you’ll be locked into controlling only your ship – this is effectively your avatar – and you’ll spend most of your time sailing the high sighs, blasting other ships into oblivion. Occasionally your customisable pirate captain will be able to disembark on selected islands to explore very limited environments, but there’s no free-running nor cutlass-based combat here, a gentle saunter and a spot of trading and the acquiring of missions is all you’ll be doing. If that sounds awful then stop reading here; Skull and Bones is not the game for you. For the rest of you, let’s continue.
The most striking thing about Skull of Bones is its sumptuous visuals. It’s no overstatement to say that it possesses some of the most gorgeous environmental and weather effects I have ever seen. Whilst exploring the vast Indian Ocean you’ll be beset by thunderstorms, which swirl in as a miasma of black clouds, torrential rain, and flashing lightning, only to soon disperse into crystal blue skies. Sunsets are a thing of beauty, as are the waves, which move with stunning realism and fluidity. The draw distance is startling, peek from a crow’s nest with your telescope and you’ll be able to target a vulnerable merchant ship many nautical miles away. The detail of each ship is stunning to behold too, zoom in and you’ll see your crew darting about carrying out your instructions. In something akin to the animation of a God-sim, your conglomeration of cutthroats will clamber up rigging, swab the poop deck, and load cannons, whilst you sail for yonder horizon. Even better, the UI is fairly elegant for an online game, allowing you to enjoy those vistas in all their wonder without too many poxy pop-up boxes or number stats getting in the way.
Sailing is kept simple and accessible, other than the direction of the wind – which will either hinder or offer you a speed boost – you’ll simply need to focus on steering to port or starboard. Dropping your speed will offer more manoeuvrability – vital when facing down a rogue wave – whilst increasing it will use up stamina. Many boosts are available to keep that stamina meter topped up, from meals to water canteens, so be sure to pack some vittles’. The ocean is vast, and you can spend many minutes sailing without finding much of anything at all. Combine this with the intensive resource gathering – required to build new ships and weaponry – and it’s easy to see why Skull and Bones has tested many gamers’ patience.
The early going of the game is fairly pacy, so by the two-hour mark I’d already acquired three different vessels, but trying to get your level to double digits will definitely take determined effort. Did I mind this? No, I found the piratical atmosphere created by the game so intoxicating that it carried me through even the dullest of passages. But, like a certain dark-brown yeasty spread, you’ll either love the pacing and rhythm of the game or hate it.
Combat is rambunctious and thrilling. Crews yell, cannons belch fire and smoke, hulls splinter and defeated vessels explode; it’s big, over-the-top, and enormous fun. It’s like Pirates of the Caribbean meets Michael Bay by way of Earth Defense Force, just with more explosions. Each ship can be customised with a vast plethora of weapons including cannons, flamethrowers, and even torpedoes (historical authenticity when it comes to weaponry is lenient at best). As you steer your ship towards an enemy frigate and take aim, the game slickly drops you to the gun deck, providing you with crosshairs and a reload meter. You are restricted to blasting from either the bow, port, starboard, or stern of your flagship, so some canny maneuvering is key to ensure you can always bear arms against whoever or whatever you are up against. The arcade-like combat has a surprising and welcome sliver of strategy to it. Add to this the need to manage your ammunition levels and use the right weapons against the appropriate enemy type, and Skull and Bones has some brains to go with all the brawn.
Online play is remarkably conserved. You can quite happily play through most of the storyline missions entirely on your own. Should you wish to team up, a flexible system is provided and the game ups the challenge and rewards appropriately. You can also ask players to drop in to help with any mission, plunder, or sea battle, at any time. Once the conflict is over you are free to both head off and do your own thing. I’m pleased to report that I’ve found the community supportive and engaged, taking on a giant sea beast with two other brand-new buds in a desperate fight for survival is one of my gaming highlights of 2024 so far.
Not all of Skull and Bones is as well thought out as its online component, though. Trading is rather dull, failing to offer enough rewards to make itself a worthwhile mechanic, especially in comparison to the many resources, doubloons, and fun offered by combat. Treasure maps feel uninspired and a missed opportunity, this quintessential aspect of the pirate mythos is underexplored in Skull and Bones. Simply wandering around a very small environment to find a rock with a symbol on it does not a legendary sea dog make. And frankly, it’s shameful the digging animation doesn’t include a shovel – your captain simply brushes away a few specks of dirt with their hands to find the enormous treasure hardly buried underneath. Finally, the resource-gathering mechanic has already lead to much mocking online, parking your ship next to a limestone deposit and undertaking a basic QTE mini-game. It’s not like the crew even disembark to gather up the items either. Considering the lengthy development, far more could have been done with any and all of these elements.
